Insect trap



Oct. 13, 1964 J. PAWL 3,152,420

INSECT TRAP Filed Oct. 15, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. J0 HN PA w1.

ATTORNEY Oct. 13, 1964 J. PAWL 3,152,420

INSECT TRAP Filed Oct. 15, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 j INVENTOR.

JoI-m PAWL ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,152,423 Patented Oct.13, T964 3,152,420 INSECT TRAP John Pawl, Rtes. 30 and 55, Crown Point,Ind. Filed Oct. 15, 1962, Ser. No. 230,390 2 Claims. (Cl. 43139) Thesubject invention relates generally to traps and more particularly isdirected to a machine for trapping insects.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a machinewhich preferably includes an outer tubular housing, an inner tubularcasing, a chamber, means for attracting the insects, and a fan in thecasing for directing or sucking the insects therethrough for deposit inthe chamber and discharge from the machine.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a machine of thecharacter above described in which the casing is preferably comprised ofan inner cylindrical tubular extremity within which an attraction meanspreferablly in the form of an annular lamp is detachably mounted.

A specific object of the invention is to mount a unit com-prising thefan and a motor or power means in the casing so that the motor islocated adjacent a junction between the inner and outer extremities ofthe casing and the fan is disposed in the inner tubular extremity of thecasing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the abovecharacter in which the inner extremity of the casing is supported by anannular wall or partition which also constitutes a wall of the chamber.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a machine in whichthe housing thereof is provided with a pair of screened side openingswhereby to facilitate escapement of air and at the same time allow theinsects to fall into the chamber and through an outlet providedtherefor.

Other objects of the invention reside in providing a machine whichoffers advantages with respect to manufacture and assembly, efiiciency,compactness, stability and durability.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentafter the description hereinafter set forth is considered in conjunctionwith the drawings annexed hereto.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical section taken through the machine to illustratethe operative relationship of its components;

FIGURE 2 is a wiring diagram of the electrical system;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the machine;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section taken through the rear part of themachine to illustrate the structural details of screened opennigsprovided therein;

FIGURE 5 is a partial transverse section showing a detail of a screenunit; and

FIGURE 6 is a vertical section of a modified machine.

Referring first to the disclosure in FIGURES 1 through 5 of the drawing,the machine, among other things comprises an outer large tubularcylindrical housing or shell, an inner smaller casing generallydesignated 2, which supports an attraction means 3, a motor and fan unitgenerally designated 4, a chamber 5 for receiving insects, and adischarge opening or outlet 6.

The housing 1 is preferably made cylindrical to facilitate itsmanufacture and connection with other parts of the machine and providedwith means, such as a fitting or handle 1' for convenience in carryingthe machine or mounting it on a support, such as a post in a yard whereinsects abound. Obviously, the underside of the machine could beprovided with a bracket, in

addition to, or in lieu of the handle for supporting the machine. Therear end of the housing is closed oif by a planar end wall of closure'7, which is preferably detachably secured within the confines of thehousing by means of screws 8 which extend through the housing into holesprovided therefor in an out-turned axial flange 9. This cover whenremoved affords convenient access to the majority of the componentsarranged in the housing and casing.

The casing 2 may be designed and constructed in various Ways, but asexemplified herein preferably comprises an inner tubular cylindricalextremity It and an outer enlarged concave extremity II. The innerextremity It is of a smaller diameter than the housing and preferablysupported concentrically therein by an annular wall or partition 12having a large central aperture therein defined by an inner annularrearwardly extending axial flange 14. The partition 12, in combinationwith the housing and cover 7 define the chamber 5, above referred to,for receiving the insects which are to flow rearwardly through thecasing. Bolts 15 are preferably used to detachably secure the axialflange 14 against the external surface of the extremity 10 of the casingand screws 16, detachably secure an outer rearwardly extending annularflange 17 of the partition against the internal surface of the housingwall, all of which is clearly depicted in FIGURE 1.

The enlarged and fore extremity II of the casing is preferably madeconcave or dished, and highly polished or provided with a coating ofsuitable refiectible material so that such extremity constitutes areflector for directing or dispersing rays of light forwardly in advanceof the machine which emanate from the attraction means 3. Thisattraction means is preferably in the form of a circular lamp of aspecial type for producing what is known in the trade as black lighthaving the phenomenon of attracting insects. The enlarged extremity ofthe casing is joined to the inner extremity by a convex portion orjunction 18, and includes a cylindrical portion which snugly engages thehousing to support this extremity and facilitate centering of thesmaller inner extremity for connection to the partition 12. Thecylindrical portion of the enlarged extremity is provided with anoutwardly extending bead 19 which receives the fore edge portion of thehousing. The junction 18 is provided with forwardly extending springclips 29 which detachably receive and support the circular lamp inconcentric spaced relation to the housing as well as with respect toboth extremities of the casing so that incoming insects drawn into themachine by the fan will readily find their way around and through thelamp and through the casing to the chamber 5 for expulsion therefrom.

The housing, casing and partition form an annular space 21 within whicha transformer and related components of the electrical system aredisposed and these will be described subsequently.

The power means or unit generally designated 4, preferably in the formof an electric motor 22 and fan 22', is connected to a verticallydisposed bracket 23 by bolts 24. The bracket includes a central planarportion 25 through which the bolts 24 extend and a pair of adjacentcorresponding planar portions 26 disposed normal to the direction of theflow of air so as not to appreciably interfere with its free flow. Thebracket also includes a pair of rearwardly extending offset portions 27which are detachably connected against the inner surface of the innerextremity 10 of the casing by the bolts 15 and additional bolts 28 tofirmly anchor the bracket in place. The central portion of the bracketis also provided with an aperture (not shown) through which a shaft ofthe motor 22 extends so that the fan and motor are disposed on oppositesides of the bracket. The vertical part of the bracket which extendsdiametrically in the inner extremity is preferably located substantiallymidway of this extremity and supports the motor in concentric spacedrelation generally between the inner and outer extremities of the casingand the fan in the rear of the inner extremity. This organization hasproven desirable because the insects are drawn through an annular spaceabout the motor before being subjected to a fan 22. This factor oflocating the fan at the rear of the motor is important as the suctionand flow of the air through the machine is improved and the insects arestunned, cut, and/or mashed at an appropriate location for falling intothe chamber. The fan in some conventional machines is located at theentrance end thereof. This has not proven entirely satisfactory becausethe insects are stunned, cut, and/ or mashed by the fan before theysubstantially reach the chamber. This results in coating the reflectorand other internal surfaces of the machine with a messy layer ofmacerated insects, thereby rendering the machine less efiicient.

The bottom of the chamber 5 or housing wall is provided with an arcuatecut-out which defines the outlet 6. A vertical depending chute or offsetduct 29 is secured by rivets 30 to the housing in communication with theoutlet 6. These rivets extend through laterals 31 of the duct into thehousing wall. The free end of the duct is pro vided with an out-turnedflange 32 to facilitate detachable connection of a container or sack 33thereabout by a cord 34. The outlet is relatively large and takes up alarge area in the bottom of the chamber so that the insects will more orless fall directly into the container without collecting or packing inthe chamber.

The housing is also preferably provided with a pair of correspondingdiametrically disposed side openings 35 formed by cutting out arcuateportions of the housing. Each of these side openings is preferablycovered by an arcuate screen unit comprised of a pair of parallel framemembers 36 and a screen 37 having side edges clamped or anchored in theframe members as depicted in FIG- URE 5. Each screen unit is detachablysecured against the inner surface of the housing over an opening by aplurality of screws 38, or equivalent means, which extend through thehousing wall into threaded apertures provided therefor in the framemembers. The screened openings allow passage of air while retaining theinsects for deposit in the container 33. The screened openings are of asize to insure a free flow of air through the machine without creatingany back pressure in the casing. It will be observed that the screenedopenings are also so located in relation to the outlet-6 that anyinsects collecting on the inner surfaces of the screens 33 and the cover7 will eventually substantially fall directly into the outlet. Thecontainer is preferably made of a transparent plastic material and whensufiiciently filled with insects can be readily detached and destroyedand a new container installed.

The electrical system as best exemplified in FIGURES 1 and 3 includes,among other things, the motor 22 and a transformer 39, above referredto, which are disposed in the annular space 21, and an extension cord 40provided with a plug (not shown) for connection with a source ofelectricity. Three conductors 41, 42 and 43 constitute the cord 40. Theconductor 41 is connected to the motor 22 by a branch conductor 44 andto the transformer 39 by a branch conductor 44'; conductor 42 to asocket terminal unit 45 of the lamp 3 and to the motor and transformer39 respectively through branch conductors 46 and 47 and the unit 45 by abranch conductor 47; and the conductor 43, constituting a groundconnection, to one of a pair of bolts 48 detachably conmeeting thetransformer to the housing. Three conductors 49, 50 and 51 arerespectively connected to the transformer and to terminals on the unit45.

Referring to the modified structure illustrated in FIG- URE 6 of thedrawing, there is shown a housing in which a casing is disposed. Thiscasing has an inner cylindrical extremity 101 and an enlarged annularconcave extremity 102 which extremities correspond to those of thecasing 2 above referred to. This modified structure differs from thestructure above described by reversing the position of the motor and fanunit, which unit is carried by a bracket 103 in a manner whereby a motor104 is located at the rear of a fan 105, in the rear end of theextremity 101 and the fan is disposed at the junction between theextremities of the casing and between the bracket and an annular lamp106.

Having thus described my invention it is to be understood that variousmodifications of the invention may be utilized without departing fromthe spirit of the invention, hence I do not wish to be limited to theexact forms, constructions or arrangements herein illustrated anddescribed.

I claim:

1. A trap for insects comprising an open ended tubular housing ofsubstantially uniform diameter, an imperforate cover closing off a rearend of the housing, a onepiece tubular casing disposed in the housingand having an inner reduced extremity disposed substantially midway ofthe length of the housing and also having an outer enlarged extremitysupported substantially within the confines of a fore end of thehousing, a substantially annular bulb disposed within and carried bysaid enlarged extremity, a partition disposed in the housing in parallelrelation to the cover and serving to support the inner extremity of thecasing, said housing, cover and partition in combination forming achamber for receiving insects, said housing being provided with a loweroutlet and screened side openings, and a unit comprising a motor and afan with the fan disposed entirely within the confines of the innerextremity of the casing for directing air through the casing into thechamber.

2. The trap defined in claim 1, in which said housing, said partition,and said casing, in combination define an annular space substantiallysurrounding said reduced extremity of said casing whereby electricalcomponents may be disposed in said space.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS738,184 Goodwin Sept. 8, 1903 959,155 Nault May 24, 1910 2,780,026 Dailet al. Feb. 5, 1957 2,893,161 Reid July 7, 1959 3,041,773 Gagliano July3, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 834,093 Great Britain May 4, 1960

1. A TRAP FOR INSECTS COMPRISING AN OPEN ENDED TUBULAR HOUSING OFSUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM DIAMETER, AN IMPERFORATE COVER CLOSING OFF A REAREND OF THE HOUSING, A ONEPIECE TUBULAR CASING DISPOSED IN THE HOUSINGAND HAVING AN INNER REDUCED EXTERMITY DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY MIDWAY OFTHE LENGTH OF THE HOUSING AND ALSO HAVING AN OUTER ENLARGED EXTREMITYSUPPORTED SUBSTANTIALLY WITHIN THE CONFINES OF A FORE END OF THEHOUSING, A SUBSTANTIALLY ANNULAR BULB DISPOSED WITHIN AND CARRIED BYSAID ENLARGED EXTERMITY, A PARTITION DISPOSED IN THE HOUSING IN PARALLELRELATION TO THE COVER AND SERVING TO SUPPORT THE INNER EXTERMITY OF THECASING, SAID HOUSING, COVER AND PARTITION